Leave Benefits

Administrative Leave

Unpaid leave may be granted by Department Head for up to 60 days
(over 60 days requires Commissioners Court approval) for purposes of:

education that may contribute to the benefit of the County,

public service assignment,

attending to important personal business.

Citizenship Leave

Provides that employees receive normal pay during period called for jury duty which includes both the jury selection process and, if selected, the time the employee actually spends serving on the jury.

Family and Medical Leave

Provides for up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave to eligible employees for certain family and medical reasons during a 12 month period.

Funeral Leave

Provides for up to 3 days of paid time off, which must be taken consecutively and used for the purpose of attending the funeral of an immediate family member.

Military Leave

Granted up to 15 calendar days per year.

Sick Leave

1 day earned per month. Allowed to accrue maximum of 80 days.

Sick Leave Pool

Smith County has established a Sick Leave Pool on a voluntary, contributory basis.

Vacation Leave

1 day earned per month (12 days per year). After 5 years of service, 1 1/4 days earned per month (15 per year). After 10 years service, 1 1/2 days earned per month (18 per year).

Health Benefits

Tobacco Free Initiative

Important Note
If it is medically inadvisable for you to achieve or attempt to achieve the standards of the non-tobacco use policy due to a medical condition or situation, please call The Purple Card at (866) 788-9118. We will work with you and your physician to develop an alternative way for you to qualify for thenon-tobacco payroll deductions.

Medical Insurance

The County offers its employees and employees' eligible dependents a PPO plan. The plan is administered by Health First-TPA.

*Spouses who are eligible to receive employer sponsored coverage from their place of employment are ineligible to enroll onto Smith County's Health Plan.

*Mandatory Generic - if generic is available you will pay the difference between the generic drug plus the Brand copay, if applicable!

Dental Coverage

Preventative checkups and cleaning (2 per year) at no cost to employee. Dental work after a $50 deductible per year (maximum of $150 per family), has maximum benefit of $ 1,500 per year per person. Basic care is covered at 80%, major care at 80% and orthodontic care (under age 19 with $1,500 lifetime benefit) at 50%.

Retirement Options

Retirement

Employees are eligible to retire after:

20 years of service regardless of age,

at age 60 with at least 8 years of service,

or when age plus service equals 75 (with a minimum of 4 years of service).

Smith County participates in the Texas County and District Retirement System (TCDRS) and has belonged since January 1, 1968. This System was established by legislative act in 1967 under the State’s Constitution. Under the system, employees contribute an established percentage of their gross salary and the County funds the amount necessary to meet plan obligations and benefits. Interest is credited annually. For details, read the official TCDRS handbook. Some basic information about plan participation is:

All regular full-time employees of the County SHALL become a member of the Retirement System upon their effective date of employment.

Effective January 1, 2007 all regular part-time employees of the County SHALL become members of the retirement system.

Participants are vested after eight (8) years in the system.

Procedure

When a member is eligible for retirement, selection of any one of several optional plans for retirement must be made and an application for service retirement completed AT LEAST 45 DAYS BEFORE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RETIREMENT.

When the application is received, the various options for service retirement will be explained by the Payroll Section of the Auditor’s Office. There are also several disability retirement benefits available to eligible employees.

Should a participating employee leave the employment of the County prior to qualifying for retirement benefits, that employee shall have the right to apply for refund of their contributions to the system along with interest earned on such contributions. The employee shall not be entitled to the County’s portion contributed to the system on their behalf nor the interest thereon.

A "retiree" is defined as: (1) a person retiring from active county service under the provisions of TCDRS, or (2) a person retiring from active county service who has qualified for retirement under the disability retirement provisions and who is actually receiving retirement benefits from TCDRS.

Continued Insurance Coverage

A "retiree" hired prior to June 1, 2005 shall generally be eligible to continue, at county expense, as a participant in a group health insurance plan selected by the County. Effective August 21, 2012, a "retiree" must have:

been hired prior to June 1, 2005; and

be eligible with Texas County & District Retirement System (TCDRS) for retirement; and

have at least twenty (20) years of Smith County employment at the time of retirement to be eligible to continue, at county expense, as a participant in a group health insurance plan selected by the County.

Employees hired on or after June 1, 2005 shall not be eligible to continue, at county expense, as a participant in a group plan selected by the County at such time when they retire. Said employees will be advised of their rights to continue insurance under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) at the time of their retirement from the County. However, continued coverage under the County’s health insurance plan is contingent upon retiree enrolling under Medicare coverage concurrent with becoming Medicare eligible. At this occurrence, the heretofore primary insurance as provided by the County will become secondary to Medicare coverage, and be considered as Medicare Supplemental Insurance only, as such, it will continue to be provided at county expense for the life of the retiree.

Life Insurance

Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance

Furnished at no cost to employees, pays 50% of life amount for loss of limb or eye; 100% for loss of 2 limbs or death due to an accident.

Additional Benefits

Deferred Compensation

A payroll deduction savings plan which allows employees to contribute a portion of their salary before Federal taxes to invest in a tax favored supplemental retirement program.

FSA Health & Dependent Care

Qualified medical expenses include healthcare costs such as co-pays, doctor visits, lab and hospital fees, prescriptions, some over-the-counter items, dental and optical expenses. You elect the amount you want to go into your account each pay period.
Maximum Contribution for health is limited to $2,500.

Dependent Care
Dependent care expenses for daycare to allow you to work.

Maximum Contribution for dependent daycare:

Individual $2,500

Family $5,000

*Contributions not used by the end of the year are lost.

Health Savings Account - HSA

HSA funds can be used for any qualified medical, dental, or vision expense. You elect the amount, if any, you want to go into your account each pay period. There are no copays - you pay your deductible first then the pan plays 100%.

Tax-Free Deposits

Tax-Free Growth

Tax-Free Withdrawals

2013 Maximum Contribution

Individual $3,250

Family $6,450

Supplemental Insurance

Smith County does not make any warranty and/or representation and does not endorse the organizations and/or products presented. These materials have been provided for information only. Smith County is not affiliated with any of the following referenced service provider(s) and/or vendor(s). Consumers must conduct their own research with regard to any products and/or services.

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